Money box



Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MONEY BOX AugustWilhelm Wolters, Southampton, N. Y.

Application June 9, 1949, Serial No. 98,003

' 4 Claims.

1 The present invention relates to money safe and the like and refersmore particularly to means for safekeeping ofmoney so as to have itaccessible to authorized persons and to cause it to-fall to a strongerand more'inaccessible container if an unauthorized person attempts toopen the first mentioned safekeeping means. The principal object ofthepresent invention is to'provide a more simple money box than those nowavailable. A subsidiary object is that the box shall be completelyautomatic in operation, in the sense of requiring a predetermined mannerof operation for opening by an authorized person, and further that thebox may be closed in the ordinary way and that such closing shall beeffective to reset its internal mechanism so that unauthorized openingshall automatically cause the money to fall to the remote place ofsafekeeping. In accomplishing the objects of the present invention achute is provided having a rectangular lid pivotally connected to therear wall thereof. Substantially perpendicularly extending from theinner surface of the lid is a metal eye. A heavy barhangstherefrom'byflmean of an interengaging eye, the bar'extendingstraight down from the eye of the lid in all positions of the lid, alsoextending through a guide eye in all Said positions, and in the closedposition of the lid further engaging two eyes set one below the otherand connected to the sliding bottom of the money compartment. The bottomis supported on rollers and is actuated by coil springs to a forwardposition in which it leaves the money compartment in communication withthe chute. may bepushed rearwardly, compressing the "springs, and may beheld in such position byeng agement of its eyes with either the bar, ifthe lid is closed, or with a detent whichmay be actuated from a hiddenposition, such actuation being necessary to authorized operation of thebox so as to expose its contents for removal.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter be pointed out. The invention accordingly consists in thefeatures of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements ofparts which will be exemplified in {the constructions hereinafterdescribed. In the "accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of thevarious possible illustrative embodiments of this invention:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of the money box.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

The bottom 4 Figure 3 is a similar view showing the relation of partsafter unauthorized use. I

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, my im'- proved money box I0comprises the side wall portions l I, I2, I3, I4 of which wall I2 may becalled the rear wall, and wall I4 may be called the front Wall, Wall I4further comprising the door I5 hinged to wall I I. A lid I6 is hinged torear wall I2 and is swingable from theclosed position of Figure 2 to theopen position of Figure 3.

Four substantially vertical partitions II, I8, I9, extending laterallyof box III, that is, between walls I I and I3, define the spaces 2 I,22, 23 which together constitute the money compartment 24 of the box I0, it being understood that one or more such spaces2l,'22, 23 may beused as desired for the storing of paper money in vertical position. Thepartitions 25, together with front wall I 4 and partition I'I, serves toenclose a dead space 26.

Bottom portion 21 is slidably supported on rollers 28 and guided byguide strips 29, andmovable from a closed position, Figure 2, in whichit serves as the bottom of money compartment 24,

to an open position, Figure 3, which leavesmoney compartment 24 in opencommunication with chute 30 leading vertically downward therefrom to aremote strong money container, such as a burglar proof safe, notillustrated.

Bottom portion 21 comprises a block 31 firmly reception of compressioncoil springs 35 whose free ends bear against rear wall I2. Springs 35thus tend to actuate portion 27 to the open. position of Figure 3. I

An eye 36 is fixed in lid portion I6 and 'engages an eye 31 which isintegral with the rod 38,

rod 38 constituting a detent means by which bottom portion 2'! may belocked closed as illustrated in Fig. 2, in which rod 38 passes throughthe eyes 32, 33 when lid I6 is closed. Eye 39 fixed in rear wall I2serves as a guide for rod 38. 'soproportioned andsituated relative tohinge 40 ye 36 is of lid I4 that rod 38 moves vertically upon theswinging of lid I6 around hinge 40, there being substantially nomovement of rod 38 other than vertical.

A further detent means for locking bottom portion 2! in closed positionwhile lid I6 is open is the hook 4| pivotally mounted in rear wall l2and having a handle portion 42 extending ex teriorly thereof. Hook 4|has a weight 43 or other means tending to keep its hook portiondepressed as illustrated in the full line position, and thus out ofengagement with bottom portion 21.

In operation, it is obvious that money placed in money compartment 24will fall into chute 30 if lid I6 is raised by an unauthorized person,for rod 38 will come free of both eyes 32, 33 and springs 35 willactuate bottom portion 21 into the dead space 26, depriving the money orother contents of spaces 2|, 22, 23 of support so that it falls intochute 30.

The advantage of dead space 26 is seen in Figure 3, as successfuloperation of the device might be prevented if bottom portion 21, inorder to completely withdraw from money compartment 24, had to protrudebeyond an outer wall of box 0. A person standing in the path of bottomportion 21 would in such case obstruct its motion and prevent operation.

In order to prepare box ID for use after unauthorized use, door I5 isopened and bottom portion 21 is pushed rearwardly to the position ofFigure 2 and handle 42 is depressed, engaging hook 4| in eye 33. The boxwill now hold its contents even with lid l6 open.

To obtain access to money in box ID the authorized person will pressdown on handle 42 while raising lid l6. Hook 4| thus enters eye 33, andas soon as rod 38 disengages eye 32 the forward pressure of springs 35on bottom portion 21 will device in which the several objects of thisinvention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditionsof practical use. As various possible embodiments might be madeof theabove invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodimentsabove set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forthor shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting What is claimed is:

1. In a money box, the combination with side wall portions and a lidportion constituting a box, said lid portion being pivotally connectedto one of said side wall portions and swingable froman open to a closedposition, said box comprising a money compartment open at the bottom,

a bottom portion for said money compartment,

said bottom portion being supported in operative relation to said moneycompartment so as to be slidable from a closed to an open position, of

means actuating said bottom portion into 9, nor mally open position andlock means for holding said bottom portion in closed position, said lockmeans comprising keeper means comprised by said bottom portion, saidlock means further comprising detent means pivotally connected to andactuated by said lid portion and engaging said keeper means andmaintaining said bottom portion in closed position when both said lidand said bottom portion are in closed position, said lock means furthercomprising further keeper means, and further detent means engageablewith said further keeper means when said bottom portion is in closedposition and said lid portion is partially open to keep said bottomportion in closed position, said further detent means comprising meansoperative to keep said further detent means normally out of engagementwith said further keeper means.

2. In a money box, the combination with side wall portions and a lidportion constituting a box, said lid portion being pivotally connectedto one of said side wall portions and swingable from an open to a closedposition, said box comprising a money compartment open at the bottom, abottom portion for said money compartment, said bottom portion beingsupported inoperative relation to said money compartment so as to-beslidable from a closed to anopen position, of means actuating saidbottom portion into a normally open position and lock means for holdingsaid bottom portion in closed position, said lock means comprisingkeeper means on said bottom portion, said lock means further comprisingdetent means in the form'of a rod pivotallysuspended from said lid andextending into said keeper means when both said lid and said bottomportion are in closed position, said rod being gradually withdrawn fromsaid keeper means by opening of said lid so as to come entirely free ofsaid keeper means before said lid is fully open, said lock means furthercomprising separate detent means, said separate detent means beingnormally out of engagement with said keeper means and being optionallyengageable v in said keeper means when said rod is partially-withdrawnand said bottom portion is still in'closed position, said rod, in casesaid separate detent means is so engaged, further directly contactingand physically displacing said separate detent means from said keepermeansin the closed position of said lid and of said bottom portion.

3. In a money box according to claim- 2, said keeper means comprising aplurality of eyes in spaced relation and in substantially verticalalinement, said rod engaging all of said eyes when saidlid and saidbottom portion are in closed position, said separate detent means beingen,- gageable with the lowermost of said eyes upon the withdrawal ofsaid rod therefrom by raising of said 1id.- l

4. In a money box according to claim 2, said side wall portions furtherenclosing a dead space into which said bottom portion is actuated in theopen position of said bottom portion.

AUGUST WILHELM WOLTERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,632,536 Breen June14,1927

1,954,668 Ernst Apr. 10., .1934

